Ch 27: Search

"What did you want to talk about?"

Hajime asked Rimuru. Rimuru called the group over to talk when they arrived at the inn. Shia was sleepy and went to sleep and Chloe was the same.

Yue was next to Hajime sipping a drink that resembled soda. Sakura was on Rimuru's lap cuddling into his neck with her head resting on his shoulder as he gently stroked her hair. She occasionally gave him a kiss.

"I was thinking of enjoying this meeting with Sensei."

Rimuru replied without taking his eyes off Sakura. Hajime didn't understand his words.

"What do you mean?"

"We would have to stop by the capital to let Shirasaki-san and the others know about Hyama, right? But now we've found Sensei and she must have a way to contact the Kingdom. So it would be faster."

"I see..."

Hajime was thoughtful and Rimuru smelled great when Sakura's hair came close to his face.

"It smells like roses."

She blushed at the compliment and gave Rimuru a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey. Will you two stop flirting at every possible opportunity?"

Hajime looked a little annoyed. Rimuru looked at him and spoke.

"I'll give it back to you."

Hajime didn't understand, so he looked away. There was Yue pulling on his shirt and was holding out a spoon, on the spoon was a piece of pudding that the waitress had just delivered.

"Hajime. Aaah."

Hajime was not going to deny receiving food from Yue, so he ate. He seemed kind of embarrassed to do that after talking about Rimuru. Rimuru just laughed and spoke

"You're wondering if we should tell Sensei about the Mad Gods, right?"

Hajime was a little surprised that Rimuru was able to guess and nodded in agreement. Hajime then spoke up...

"I think we should tell them. It would be a hoot if the Gods manipulated the Hero's group into them attacking us."

"Yes. Me too. We'll tell her tomorrow morning."

"No. I think it's better to tell her today."

"Eh?"

Rimuru was looking at Sakura and when he looked at Hajime he was no longer there.

"...."

"He's not going to break into her room at night, is he?" Rimuru thought.

"Well, there's nothing to do. Shall we go to sleep, Sakura? Chloe must be waiting."

"Hmhm."

They went upstairs. Chloe woke up when they came in.

"Sorry. Did we wake you up?"

Rimuru asked worriedly, but Chloe replied

"Yes, but it's okay. Where are you going, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura looked like she was about to leave. Then Chloe called out to her.

"Good. I thought you guys would like to sleep together."

"Yes, but Sakura-chan is also engaged to Rimuru-san. So she has to sleep with him too."

"Is it... is it really?

She looked hesitant so Rimuru approached her and.

"Rimuru-san!"

He carried her like a princess to the bed and laid her down. She was completely red and he gave her a kiss. Then he lay down and hugged her from behind.

"I love you Sakura and I want to spend as much time with you as possible. Even when we are sleeping."

She seemed happy with his words and covered his hand with her own.

"... I love you too."

"I love Rimuru-san too."

Chloe hugged Rimuru from behind and Rimuru gave her a kiss. Sakura seemed to want to hug Rimuru so he lay face up and slept with the two of them hugging him.

For Rimuru of course the feeling of having two girls hugging him was great. He could feel their breasts touching him and look at their beautiful faces all he wanted. Sakura had her leg over his and Rimuru could feel 'that part' of her. She looked a little embarrassed. Then it must have been on purpose.

They fell asleep like that.

●●●

Ailo couldn't sleep and was looking at the moon while thinking. She was happy that her students survived, but sad that they did not return. She was thinking of several contradictory things and her face kept changing between happy and sad. Then she heard a voice.

"Why do you keep changing your expression, Sensei?"

"Hug!? Nagumo-kun!?"

Hajime was leaning on the door. She asked how he got in, and he said it was easy for a Synergist. She then said that it was not right to enter a woman's room at night and he sighed.

"I just came here to have a talk with you."

"A talk with me? Did you..."

"No. I'm not coming back. Don't look at me expectantly. I just want to tell you something that I thought Sensei would be calmer to hear..."

Hajime then told the story of the Mad Gods. Aiko listening to the story was dumbfounded, it was a lot of information to process.

"Well that's what I found out. I don't know what you are going to do with this information. If you want you can think it's a lie. Do whatever you want.

"Nagumo-kun, don't tell me that your journey is to deal with these Mad Gods..."

"Pft. Of course not. I don't care one bit about this world or the people in it. I just want to find a way home. I only told you this because it was convenient for me, that's all."

Aiko was left with an indescribable expression. She was happy that Hajime wasn't looking to war with the gods, but she was sad that he didn't care about this world or the people in it.

"Do you believe that?"

"Yes. In fact if you go on the 100th floor of the Orcus Dungeon you will know why they call it an ordeal. If you go there you will die instantly. I think you better warn the students."

Hajime was about to continue, but Aiko spoke first.

"You know... Shirasaki-san hasn't given up on you yet."

She said that in the hope that Hajime would come back, but...

"I know. My brother told me and it's about her the other matter I have with you..."

Ailo was sad, because if Hajime knew that would be no reason for him to come back. Hajime continued.

"I want you to send a message to Shirasaki."

"A note?"

"Yes. I want you to tell her to watch out for Hyama."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I heard that from my brother that you think that fireball hit me by accident right?"

"You're not saying that..."

"My brother has great analytical skills you know? He told me that after I 'died' Hyama was strangely more tense than the others. He also analyzed the skills of all the other classmates and discovered two interesting things. They all have great control over their magic and it would be hard for them to make a mistake and there are also few students who can use a high level fireball like that and Hyama is one of them."

Actually it was Ciel who noticed these things and others.

"....."

Ailo didn't say anything and Hajime continued

"My brother also saw Hyama staring at Shurasaki's bedroom door a few times, he probably couldn't stand to see the person he is passionate about so close to an 'incompetent' and decided that on the bridge would be the perfect opportunity. Well, that's what I have to say. Goodbye."

"...."

Aiko said nothing and Hajime left the room. Aiko couldn't accept that one of her students tried to kill another and yet used such a cowardly method. She didn't know what to do with Hyama if this was true. Aiko would certainly not sleep well that night.

●●●

Hajime returned to the inn and slept between Yue and Shia. The group woke up early to begin their search. They were on the way out of town when...

"Hajime-kun I think you are thinking of a rude way to dismiss them, but first let's hear them out."

Rimuru spoke to Hajime. By 'them' Rimuru was referring to Aiko and the students who were waiting for them at the city gate.

Hajime snorted in agreement and let them talk.

"Nagumo-kun, Rimuru-kun. Take us on the search together. You're looking for lost people, right? If we go together it will be easier to search."

Aiko approached and spoke. Hajime then replied

"No. You'll only slow us down. We walk at a different pace."

Hajime's argument was valid. The students and Aiko were on horseback and would not be able to catch up with the vehicles. The argument of more people doing a better search was also invalid because Hajime and Rimuru produced some golens that were possessed by lesser spirits. These golens don't get tired, so they are great on a quest.

The students and Aiko didn't understand his words. Hajime thought it would be a pain to explain, so he took his motorcycle out of the Treasure Chest. Rimuru also took his motorcycle from infinity space.

Rimuru's motorcycle was different from Hajime's, it was shorter and longer on the sides. It was shaped like a black wolf with white details and a horn on the front. It looked just like Ranga. Her eyes served as beacons and her mouth could unleash some attacks. Rimuru thought that since Ranga was his mount before, it should be now too. Hajime didn't understand the reason for a wolf until he found out about Rimuru's other world.

Aiko got dumbfounded looks on their faces.

"Do you understand? Like I said, our speeds are different."

"Hajime-kun, stop making excuses."

Chloe spoke up. She didn't want the students she was close to to be fooled. Chloe knew that Hajime had a four-wheeled vehicle stowed away. Hajime just looked away.

Ailo then approached and told Hajime that he wanted to know more about what happened to him and also wanted to check if his other student Shimizu who had disappeared was not in the Northern Mountains.

"...If Nagumo-kun doesn't allow it, I will follow Nagumo-kun. That would be problematic for Nagumo-kun, right?"

She finished like this.

"Hajime-kun I think we should take them."

"Me too. They could create problems in the future, and I don't want to have to kill Rimuru-san's colleagues."

Rimuru and Sakura spoke in this sequence. The students sounded cold at Sakura's words. A beautiful woman talking about killing them so casually made even Aiko afraid. Hajime saw that it would be problematic to leave them here and spoke

"All right."

"Are you sure Hajime?"

Yue approached and asked.

"Yes. She's a teacher up to here. It will be problematic to leave her here."

"Wow, she's a very responsible teacher."

Shia spoke impressed. At this moment Yuka called out to Hajime.

"But what are you going to do about the vehicles? Our horses won't be able to catch up with them."

"Ah. that..."

Hajime took out a 6-wheeled vehicle from his Treasure Chest. This vehicle had three 4-seat seats and a trunk, it also had some raised parts on the roof. On the outside it had blue and red details in the shape of spokes. This vehicle could fit many people and was made by Hajime and Rimuru (that's why it had details in both colors).

"Those who can't fit, go in the trunk."

Hajime spoke and got into the vehicle.

"Hajime-kun has to be kinder."

Rimuru spoke and entered the vehicle through the middle door.

●●●

The group was heading towards the mountain range.

Hajime was sitting driving and Aiko was beside him to talk. Yue was next to Aiko and Shia was next to him. In the back seat was Chloe at the window and Rimuru was beside her with his hand on her waist. Sakura was beside Rimuru holding onto his arm. Yuka was next to Sakura a little uncomfortable and the other students were half squeezed into the back seat, the trunk and the roof.

The students asked the girls several questions. They who were in puberty were curious about the relationship of Rimuru, Sakura and Chloe. The students were a little afraid of Rimuru after feeling his 'Demon lord Haki'. So they didn't ask him anything. Both the boys and girls had great respect for Chloe and would not ask about her relationship with Rimuru. They then tried to ask Sakura, but were met by her cold stare and gave up.

Yue was focused on Aiko and Hajime's conversation and simply ignored them, but Shia got excited about the questions and said as much as she could (she may have exaggerated in some parts).

Aiko told Hajime about Shimizu's disappearance and he seemed to think of something. Then she asked for more details about what he knew about Hyama trying to kill him.

"I can't believe it. He must have had some other motive..."

"To kill me?"

Hajime asked in a wry tone.

"I... it must be some kind of mistake. I know Rimuru-kun has great analytical skills, but Daisuke-kun wouldn't do that."

Aiko seemed unable to accept that one of her students tried to commit murder. Hajime just bugged out seeing that. Rimuru was listening to the conversation, but didn't think he had anything to add. So he was just flirting with the girls. The female students seeing them flirting gave cheering screams and the boys gritted their teeth.

After a while Aiko who hadn't slept properly ended up falling asleep leaning against Hajime. If it was one of his classmates Hajime would have thrown away, but Aiko was always very nice to him in Japan.

"Hajime is nice to Aiko."

Yue commented.

"Yes. I owe her a lot."

"Uuuuh."

"Yue?"

"....I'll go by your side on the way back."

"Okay."

●●●

They arrived at the mountain range. They stopped at the foot of the mountain as it would be dangerous to drive up.

Everyone got out of the car and Aiko apologized embarrassed for sleeping propped up on her student. Everyone was enjoying the view of the beautiful mountains. Hajime stowed the vehicle in the ring and turned to Rimuru.

"Ah. Yes..."

Rimuru pulled two golens from his infinite space. Both of them were white and five feet tall, but they had different appearances. The wind element golem looked like an eagle and the lightning element golem looked just like a Pikachu. Rimuru gave his orders telepathically and spoke

"Go!"

"What are they?"

Aiko asked impressed. The students also looked dumbfounded.

"They are the best golens for searching. One of them can do aerial search and the other is very fast and will do a quick search. I will use that too."

Hajime took five metal birds from his treasure chest

"These ones here will only be able to stay close by, but they are very useful too."

The birds needed Hajime to control them, so they were not as good as the ones Rimuru helped make with spirits.

Rimuru Hajime and the others advanced inside the mountain and after a while of walking the students looked tired.

"Hajime-kun. Pikachu found something."

"Where?"

"In that direction."

Rimuru pointed to a mountain and they headed there. The students and Aiko were very tired and one of them even said "Aren't we supposed to be tougher than the others? You are monsters." However they asked to come along, so they didn't ask to rest.

They arrived in a part of the forest that was destroyed. This part seemed to have received a powerful and precise attack. The devastation in the forest was like someone passing a spoon in ice cream.

"I don't know of any monster that can do that."

Hajime spoke thoughtfully. Rimuru knew some monsters that could do that, but he didn't know if they existed in this world as well. The students and Aiko seemed frightened by this devastation.

"Let's go further over there."

They arrived at a place full of spoils. There were bodies and weapons and things like that. They looked around and Rimuru seemed to find something.

"I found it! Behind the Waterfall."

Rimuru pointed to the Waterfall that could be seen past the trees.

"Really? Is there anyone alive there?"

"Yes."

Everyone was surprised at that. They went to the spot as quickly as possible. Yue used a wind magic to open the Waterfall and left everyone shocked(except Rimuru, Hajime and the group)

They entered the cave and saw a fainted blond boy. Rimuru threw a healing potion on him, but the boy remained unconscious. Hajime approached him and...

*TAP*

He gave a jab waking the boy up. Chloe muttered "Hajime-kun has to learn good manners" but Hajime ignored her.

"Are you Will Kudeta?"

"Huh?"

The boy looked confused.

*TAP*

"Ow!"

"Answer my question or I'll keep beating you. Are you Will Kudeta?"

"Yes. Yes I am."

"We were sent by the branch director to rescue you."

"Ilwa-san? You guys must be strong... wait! Where is that thing!?"

Everyone was curious about what he was talking about. Rimuru approached and asked...

"What thing?"

"A dragon. A black dragon! That abnormal pressure. Everyone died. Only I survived..."

He began to cry with guilt that he was alive. No one knew what to say to him. Rimuru was about to say something, but Hajime spoke first

"What's wrong with being alive? Huh!? It's normal to feel happy to be alive! Standing there crying about being alive is pathetic."

"But... I have no reason to live anymore..."

Hajime grabbed Will by the collar.

"If you think you have no reason to live, fight! Fight to stay alive and one day that survival will make sense. Standing there crying won't help those who are gone."

"Staying alive..."

Everyone felt the weight of Hajime's words. They understood that Hajime must have gone through a horrible experience to survive. Will looked a little better at Hajime's words and everyone left the cave. At this moment...

"Roaaaaaaaaaar!"

A black dragon appeared.